Braised Lamb Shanks

Submitted by Jewelies

"I spent an day looking after a family members home while workmen were there to install a new security entranceway (they are away on holiday) so to keep me busy I decided to go through their cookbooks looking for some recipes to post on 'zaar.."

 

• Ready In: 3hrs 20mins
• Ingredients: 13
• Serves: 4

ingredients

• 2 tablespoons cumin seeds
• 3 tablespoons coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 lamb shanks (about 250g each)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• 2 stalks celery, trimmed and finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
• 400 g tomatoes, drained and roughly chopped
• 200 ml dry red wine
• 200 ml port wine
• 1 liter beef stock

directions

1. Preheat oven to 160°C.
2. Using a morter and pestle, roughly crush the cumin and coriander seeds until fragrant. Add salt and mix well.
3. Sprinkle over the lamb shanks and press on to coat.
4. In a large deep heavy based, oven proof dish, heat the oil over medium heat and brown the shanks well. Remove and set aside.
5. Place the onion, carrot and celery in the same dish and saute over medium heat until soft. Add the garlic, tomatoes and stir.
6. Pour in the wine and port, stir then add the beef stock. Bring to the boil then turn off the heat.
7. Return the lamb to the pan, cover with aluminium foil and place in the oven for 3 hours or until the meat almost falls off the bone.
8. Remove from the oven and lift out the shanks. Set aside and keep warm.
9. Skim as much fat as you can off the surface of the cooking liquid and return to the stove top over medium heat to simmer and reduce to a slightly syrupy consistency.
10. Serve with mashed potatoes or polenta.

Reviews

[Peter J]

Absolutely wonderful! The cooking method left the meat ever so tender and the wine / port combination gave a great depth to the sauce. One change I did make though was to blend in a tablespoon of flour and a little water at the end to thicken the sauce more, it tasted so great is seemed a shame not to make it a little thicker so it stuck to everything more and I loved it in more of a gravy consistency.

 

[Shazzie]

I hope you don't mind, but I was looking for a recipe to use some good quality lamb pieces I had and chose yours - and I am so glad I did. I also added some potato chunks - to stretch it - and served over rice. This dish is really delicious - I think the coating of freshly ground cumin and corianer seeds is vital. Can't wait to try with lamb shanks!

 

[The Flying Chef]

Absolutely wonderful!!! The cooking time was spot on for tender fall off the bone lamb shanks. I loved the addition of the port. I also thickened at the end to make a gravy like Peter had suggested, I used a combination of cornflour and bisto gravy granules. I loved this recipe and it will definitely be one I will be making again. A great post Jewelies..

 

[Heydarl]

After Peter's review, I just had to try this recipe. We've talked about having lamb shanks for years, but this was my first attempt - I'm so glad I waited until now. I only cooked them for 2 hours & they were lovely & tender, but I think they could have stood being in the oven for another 30 minutes or so. Served with Recipe #178700 and cheesy mashed potato. Thanks Jewelies for sharing this keeper.